Music News Net

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M Ward Readies "A Wasteland Companion" Album and Tour

MUSIC NEWS - It's been three years since Portland, OR-based troubadour M Ward released his last solo album, the much lauded Hold Time , and druing that time he’s toured the globe, released two albums as one half of Grammy-nominated duo She & Him as well as one with the talented group of friends collectively know as Monsters Of Folk. 

Now, Merge Records will release Ward’s anticipated sixth solo album, A Wasteland Companion, on April 10, 2012.   Inspired by his increasingly itinerant lifestyle Ward set forth to create something of a musical travelogue. He recently explained, “Between now and when I made Hold Time there has been a lot of traveling which requires a lot of reckoning with what to leave behind and what to carry – material and otherwise – and thinking about what I want versus what I need, creatively and otherwise. I wanted to get a reflection of that on the album. It was a process of stripping away my security blanket, which is the same four walls I always record in.”

Florence + the Machine Announces Spring USA Tour

MUSIC NEWS - Florence + the Machine will be back on the road in the USA to promote the 2011 release of Ceremonials. The tour kicks off on April 14 in Santa Barbara, CA at the Santa Barbara Bowl, the day before the band is on tap to play Coachella.

This USA run has them on stage at the New Orleans Jazz Fest on May 3, before heading up north for NYC and Connecticut before wraping up in Atlantic City, NJ on May 12.

Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers Back on the Trail

MUSIC NEWS  - Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers have announced news on their 2012 tour as they continue to promote their Grammy nominated, chart-topping bluegrass album, Rare Bird Alert (out via Rounder Records).  The set features guest vocals by Paul McCartney and the Dixie Chicks, and a Martin standard, a live rendition of “King Tut.”

Steve Martin and The Steep Canyon Rangers 2012 Tour Itinerary-

February 10, 2012 Reno, NV Grand Sierra Resort & Casino-Grand Theatre
February 11, 2012 Porterville, CA Eagle Mountain Casino
April 28, 2012 Indio, CA Stagecoach Festival
April 29, 2012 Santa Barbara, CA The Granada
May 29 & 30, 2012 Boston, MA Symphony Hall
June 21, 2012 Kansas City, MO Midland Theatre

KORN Adds Tour Dates

MUSIC NEWS -  With the hugely successful first leg of concert dates to promote their recently released album The Path of Totality, Korn will be back on the road for a second leg of the Path of Totality Tour. The new round of shows for the Bakersfield, CA rockers will kick off on February 23 in Detroit, running through the Midwest before heading back West and wrapping up on March 4 in San Francisco. Kill the Noise will be on the bill at certain dates, while Korn's own Jonathan Davis will also debut his brand new DJ set as his J Devil alter ego.

The Path of Totality is another experimental chapter in Korn's rich history. The album has the band changing gears, taking a bit of a creative left turn to explore new territory with some of the hottest emerging producers and talent in the electronic scene.  With it they remain fresh and relevant while collaborating with electronic producers Skrillex, 12^th Planet, Kill the Noise, Excision, Flinch, Noisia, Datsik, Downlink, Feed Me and more.

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS 2012 Tour Update

MUSIC NEWS- With shows already sold out, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have announced a series of North American shows in April and May have been added to their upcoming I'm With You World Tour. Due to multiple foot injuries sustained by lead singer Anthony Kiedis, and subsequent surgery, the tour will now kick off on March 29 in St. Petersburg, FL, and crisscross the continent throughout 2012. Check out the full tour itinerary below for all confirmed dates (more shows are expected to be announced in the coming weeks).

HEARTLESS BASTARDS on the Road for "ARROW" Release

MUSIC NEWS - Heartless Bastards have let us know that they'll be back on the road, confirming a second leg of their North American tour. The band is touring in support of their new album, Arrow, releasing February 14. 

 

The tour begins at Club Congress in Tucson on March 30 and culminates on April 20 at La Zona Rosa in the band's hometown of Austin, TX.  The tour will stop in major cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver, and Seattle on this twelve date run. 

Esperanza Spalding Announces Initial Round of "World Tour" Dates

MUSIC NEWS - Esperanza Spalding has announced plans for a world tour and released the initial batch of dates that start up on April 18, 2012, as the bassist, vocalist and composer unveils her new release, Radio Music Society into a dynamic "big band" format. 

 

Spalding's latest release, Radio Music Society, will be out on March 20, 2012, and is said to be her most diverse, ambitious and masterful recital yet.  Each of the 12 songs are accompanied by conceptual music videos, which further express her inspiration and story behind each track. Shot in various locations including New York City, Barcelona and Portland, all videos will be available to purchasers of Radio Music Society as a digital download or a DVD on the deluxe version.

 

WANEE 2012 Fest Announced with ALLMAN BROS and FURTHER Headlining

MUSIC NEWS - The Allman Brothers Band are back for Wanee 2012 as they headlines a great line-up of outstanding performers for what is becoming one of the most popular music festivals in the country. This year's Wanee Music Festival will run Thursday April 19 through Saturday April 21  at the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL. Tickets for the Festival go on sale Friday, January 20 at 10AM EST at www.waneefestival.com and www.livenation.com.

The Allman Brothers Band and Furthur featuring Phil Lesh and Bob Weir, will both perform two nights, Friday and Saturday April 20 & 21. The remaider of the 2012 line-up includes: Bruce Hornsby, Mickey Hart Band, Gov’t Mule, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, Buddy Guy, Electric Hot Tuna , Ray Manzarek & Roy Rogers Band, Leftover Salmon, North Mississippi Allstars, Trigger Hippy (featuring: Joan Osborne, Jackie Greene, Steve Gorman, Audley Freed & Nick Govrik), Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, Devon Allman's Honeytribe, Bobby Lee Rodgers Trio, Soja, Conspirator, Eoto, Particle, Zach Deputy, Matt Schofield , Big Sams Funky Nation, Charles Bradley, Bonerama, The Yeti Trio, Jacob Jeffries Band and Bonnie Blue.

THOMAS DOLBY and His "Time Capsule" to Tour the USA and Canada

MUSIC NEWS - With his critically acclaimed album A Map of the Floating City released, and the groundbreaking FloatingCity.com transmedia game he co-designed up and running, Thomas Dolby will embark on a 26-date North American tour this March, with a rather unusual vehicle in tow (picture below right).

The Time Capsule is a chrome and brass plated road trailer that seats three. With handcrafted leather and wood fittings, and complex electrical wiring that could have been designed by Nikola Tesla, it resembles a Jules Verne/HG Wells-inspired time-travel machine. Inside, it's actually a high-tech video recording suite that allows a you or guest artist to upload a personal video message to the Future. The Time Capsule will be parked in the street outside each venue on Dolby’s month-long North American tour, and in front of select local radio and TV stations around the USA / Canada. It will capture hundreds of 30-second clips over the course of the tour, assembling them into an online video montage.

(photo Paul Sizer)

The Joy Formidable Back for North American Tour Dates

MUSIC NEWS- The Welsh trio The Joy Formidable have told MNN that they'll kick off a headlining North American tour in March, beginning on March 12 in San Francisco and wrapping up on  April 2 in Toronto.  On the run, the group will play major markets as Los Angeles at The Music Box on March 14 and New York's Terminal 5 on March 28. The band will be supported on all dates by A Place To Bury Strangers, and Exitmusic will open for both bands beginning in Minneapolis on March 19.  Full tour itinerary is below.

 

The tour is the band's first news in the US and Canada following a breakout 2011 year, when the band released their debut full-length The Big Roar to considerable acclaim.  The band ended 2011 with a bang, supporting the Foo Fighters for multiple dates along their east coast tour. The band performed on CBS' The Late Show With David Letterman, NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly, and Conan. 2011 also found the band appearing with their new song "Endtapes" as the opening track on The Twilight Saga: Breaking Down Part 1 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.

 

Rodrigo y Gabriela Announce Spring 2012 Tour

MUSIC NEWS - Rodrigo y Gabriela's label, ATO Records have announced a spring 2012 concert tour dates to support their soon to be released album Area 52 album ( out January 24).  Area 52 contains nine of Rod and Gab's favorite songs from their own catalogue re-arranged and recorded in Havana with legendary producer Peter Asher and a 13-piece Cuban orchestra comprised of some of the country's finest young players.

This spring, Rodrigo y Gabriela will be bringing the band C.U.B.A. on the road to better showcase the thrilling and dynamic hybrid of metal, latin and jazz featured on the album in a live setting. It will be the first time in their careers that Rodrigo y Gabriela have toured and performed with a backing band. In addition to the coming tour, Rodrigo y Gabriela were recently confirmed to perform on the upcoming 38th season of the long running tv series Austin City Limits.

Rodrigo Y Gabriela - 2012 North America Tour Itinerary-

Andrew Bird Readies "Break It Yourself" Release and Tour

MUSIC NEWS - Andrew Bird’s much-anticipated twelfth album, Break It Yourself, is confirmed for a March 6 release on Mom + Pop Records; (track listing below).  Produced by the Chicago-based film score composer, multi-instrumentalist and lyricist Bird, the album was recorded at his barn in Western IL, near the banks of the Mississippi River.  Break It Yourself follows Bird’s 2009 full length release Noble Beast, which was hailed as his “most instantly inviting album by far” by the Los Angeles Times.

Bird will celebrate the release of Break It Yourself with a North American tour that will kick off in Texas in mid-March (full itinerary below). Concert tickets are now available via major ticket outlets. All concert tickets are bundled with a unique musical package including a redemption code to download Break It Yourself upon release date. Ticket purchasers will also receive a download of Fake Conversations, a live EP culled from Bird’s fall 2011 tour, and a second souvenir live EP from the 2012 tour this coming spring.

VAN HALEN Confirms New Album and Tour

MUSIC NEWS - Van Halen, Rock And Roll Hall of Fame inductees announced their return to the live concert stage with news of a 2012 North American tour.  The legendary rock band will begin their tour on February 18 with Kool & The Gang joining VH on select tour dates. 

Tickets for the Live Nation-promoted Van Halen tour go on sale beginning January 14 at Ticketmaster.com and LiveNation.com.  Also, Van Halen confirmed their new album, A Different Kind Of Truth, will be released in the USA by Interscope Records on February 7.   The first single from the album, "Tattoo", and its accompanying video will be debut simultaneously on Tuesday, January 10th, with album pre-orders starting that day.  A Different Kind Of Truth is Van Halen's first original studio album with singer David Lee Roth since the band’s classic multi-platinum album 1984.

 

Sinead O’Connor To Make NYC and L.A. Concert Stops

MUSIC NEWS - Irish singer-songwriter and performer Sinead O’Connor will bein the states this February for four select performances in Los Angeles and New York City with her brand new five piece band.  She'll be here to promote her new studio album How About I Be Me (And You Be You)? which is releasing on February 21 2012 via One Little Indian/MRI. Tickets for all dates go on sale Friday, January 13. Full tour itinerary is below.

Her ninth studio album, and the latest release in a career spanning 25 years and millions of record sales worldwide, How About I Be Me (And You Be You)?  was produced by long-term collaborator John Reynolds, its ten tracks play like an encyclopedic definition of O’Connor’s oeuvre: songs about love and loss, hope and regret, pain and redemption, anger and justice. This is an album of consistently moving, exciting, brilliant and beautiful songs built around Sinead’s voice at its very best – raw and passionate.